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Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) is one of the fastest-growing fast food chains of 2012. As Domino’s builds out its franchise network, it profits from added franchisee revenue and volume growth of the ingredients it supplies. Last year Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) grew at a blazing rate of 43%, fueled by its success in its international brand. Domino’s growth strategy is looking to leverage entrepreneurs worldwide to become one of the world’s most preeminent brands.

Promoting from within

One of Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) greatest success stories is how it develops from within. Domino’s has roughly 1,000 franchisees within the US, and more than 900 of those franchisees started as hourly workers for the company. Domino’s builds its brand from within, following in the footsteps of fast food giant McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD). This gives Domino’s franchisees a leg up, as they know their business from the ground up.

Competition

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) success came from years of marketing and experimenting with the franchising business model. Both McDonald’s and Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) operate in the ultra-competitive restaurant business. In developed markets like the US and Europe, their businesses are mostly expanded at the pace of population growth, and the biggest opportunities continue to be overseas. McDonald’s and Domino’s are now in a race to gobble up market share and create customer loyalty, as this segment of the economy has some of the weakest barriers to entry.

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) earnings growth rate stalled last year, as the golden arches fought increased commodity prices and pushed for growth overseas. McDonald’s currently has some of the highest operating margins in the fast-food segment at 31%, while Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) has margins of just 18%.

Going forward we will see these companies improve their product offerings to increase same-store sales, while breaking into new markets. McDonald’s most successful innovation over the past few years has been the McCafe line of beverages. These companies will continue to leverage the products that are created in their test kitchens to add to their bottom lines, and in turn reward shareholders.

Global growth

Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM)Pizza Hut franchise has been one of the fiercest competitors to Domino’s in both the US and growth markets. Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM) was one of the first brands to break into the Chinese market with the successful launch of the KFC brand, following with Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM)’ operating margins are close to that of Domino’s.

Yum! is the largest fast-food restaurant company in the world with over 39,000 restaurants across the globe, and is looking to continue that expansion. During the fourth quarter of last year, Yum! stated that it will be more than doubling its rate of expansion overseas within the next five years. Yum! will also be shifting its focus to the Russian and African markets to mimic its “first mover” strength that it gained in China.

Domino’s is expecting huge international expansion numbers as well. Within the next five years, Domino’s is expecting to increase store count in Turkey by a factor of two, Japan by a factor of three, and France by an extremely aggressive factor of four!